Preheat oven at 350F/180C for about 20 mins or so, and prepare the dry/wet ingredients in separate bowls. Make sure you sift all flours and cocoa. Add sugars, baking powder, and salts. Use a whisk and mix evenly. On a separate bowl, whisk in all the wet ingredients and leave out the hot water.

Now pour in dry ingredients in three sections. Do not throw in all at once. Do it in sections and whisk, pour, whisk, pour, to ensure a smooth batter consistency. Lastly, add the boiling hot water. This will bring out the richness and flavor of the cocoa. You can immediately smell the aroma!

Again, use the whisk to smooth out any lumps and it should be slightly runny and smooth. Take 2 round pans ( 6-7 inch diameter) and pour the batter equally on both. Remember that we are making 2 layered chocolate cake. Tap the pans 2 to 3 times to remove any excess air bubbles and place in oven. Bake for about 30-35mins. Mine is good at 32mins, depending on your oven. Do play around with understanding your kitchen equipment, sometimes ovens can be a little tricky. Once it is done, do the usual checks to make sure that your cake is cooked through but tender. I use a toothpick and test the middle of the cake before taking it out of the oven. You do not want an undercooked cake that sinks in the middle FYI. If the toothpick comes out clean with just a few bit of crumbs, is fine. Let it cool in the pan on the counter for about 7-10mins and take it out of the pan to cool completely for an hour.

While you wait for your cakes to cool off, prepare the luxurious and rich buttercream! Made out of vegan shortening and NO butter, milk or egg whites.

Before we start, you want to make sure that ALL of these above ingredients are at ROOM temperature. No discussions or debates there. This recipe is the foolproof path to a smooth and silky firm whipped buttercream. Now cream the shortening for about 1mins in an electric mixer on low-med speed. Add in the sifted sugars and cocoa. Continue mixing at low-med speed till it looks crumbly. Then add in the milk and vanilla extract. Increase the speed to med-high speed and whip for about 7mins tops.
It should increase in volume and look smooth and firm.

Now you are ready to spread it all over your cakes! If you find that your cake is too high of a dome-shaped cake, you can use a knife to even it, so that its flat. The cream would cover up the "scars." Start to slather cream for the middle section of the layered cake. Then place the top layer and continue to cream the sides, making sure that there is no gaps or empty holes. Cover them with more buttercream, make sure to use a flat icing spatula. This method takes a bit of practice for some of you but do not be disheartened. Practice makes perfect! You can do many designs of how you would like to decorate your cake. Go ahead and release your creative artwork on your cake!

Refrigerate for 15mins just to set the buttercream a little before serving. To store, you can place it in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.